by Zoey Woods
Hopefully, they’d pass us by thinking we were two fallen angels finding a spot to smooch in. Their footsteps slowed. Shit! They weren’t buy it. Even though they weren’t incubae, they could scent Elion’s blood and not burning lust between us.
I pressed my body closer to Elion. His breath fanned across my forehead. I let out a moan and made my wings tremble a touch. Still I felt the guards’ gazes borrowing into my back.
“Is that Rebecca?” one whispered and I fought the urge to drop the disguise and fight.
Just move on. Keep patrolling.
The marching stopped. My breath stuck in my chest. They weren’t buy it. Oh god, I didn’t want to have to fight demon-guards by myself. Elion was in zero condition to do anything. With my skills and sword, I could defeat five or maybe six of them but demon-guards traveled in hordes of thirteen.
There had to be something I could do to make them believe it wasn’t me. Something they’d never think that I would do.
An idea popped into my head and rather than discard it as I normally would, I embraced it. I tore off my shirt. Then I yanked Elion’s head down until his mouth crushed against mine.
Warmth spread through me like wildfire as I kissed him. His tongue sliding along mine made goosebumps dance across my skin. I shivered, holding onto to him for fear that I would fall. His kisses tasted like honeyed ambrosia. Sweet and spicy and addictive as sin. My body trembled as need and desire awakened inside me.
“No, that can’t be her, move on,” one of the guards called.
Their receding footsteps was drowned out by the blood whooshing in my ears. I didn’t want to stop kissing Elion, but I had to.
Reluctantly, I pulled away, breathless. He rested his forehead against mine. Why had I never taken the time to make out in public before? The adrenaline sang through my veins. But I didn’t want Elion to know the effect he had on me.
“Come on,” I put my arm under his again and we stepped out into the gardens.
“Where are we?” Elion asked, his voice full of wonder.
“Lucifer’s garden.” I smiled. “He set this up eons ago saying he could’ve made a better Eden than father.”
Trees stretched to a blue sky with a hint of lavender. Flowers of every shape and color glistened among the soft, green grass. Birds tweeted and butterflies flitted about. “My brother had wanted to burn this place to ashes several decades ago, but I stopped him.”
“How?” Elion whizzed.
I pushed us past the garden toward Lucifer’s ninth bedroom that had the apothecary supply closet. My brother was obsessed with medieval and Renaissance time periods.
“Chained myself to the tree in the middle of the garden. Ironically an apple tree, that the humans think was the Tree of Knowledge.” But there had only been one tree like that. Its fruit was one of a kind and safely stored in Heaven since the fall of man along with the one and only Tree of Life.
“Right.” Elion chuckled.
We squeezed past Lucifer’s bedroom and I sat Elion down on one of the plush chairs in the corner. “Wait here, I’ll be right back.”
I raced into the medicine supply closet. I plucked down one of the spell bowls, then grabbed the herbs and magical items I needed: Devil’s bane, Mugwort, Rosemary, Belladonna, and Holy Basil. The last herb burned my fingers and I tossed it in the silver bowl among the others. My hands shook as I used the pestle to crush and blend the herbs.
“Remove the demon’s poison, set right what was before. Restore strength and health,” I chanted as I worked. Finally, a pop of purplish black smoke rose up from the bowl. Yes. It was done.
I carried the bowl back to Elion and my stomach fell. He had sunk to the floor. His wings spread out underneath him. He didn’t appear to be breathing.
“Elion!” I fell beside him, the bowl with the magical concoction nearly tumbled out of my hands. Quickly, I scooped up the herbal goo and spread it across his wounds on his chest and side.
He hissed out a breath. At the sound, I nearly praised the Almighty.
“Wher—?” He pushed up on his elbows. But the strain of the demon poison still raging in his system sent him collapsing back down again.
“Shhh.” I combed back his golden hair, a smile tugging on my lips. “You’re safe now. Let the spell do its job and neutralize the demon poison.”
With a slight nod, he closed his eyes. “Where are we?”
“One of my brother’s suites.”
Elion tried to push up again but I placed a hand on his shoulder, pressing him back down.
“Don’t worry. Lucifer hasn’t been here in eons.”
“And we’re still in Hell?” Elion asked incredulously.
“Yes.” I leaned back on my knees. “There is beauty even here in Hell, if you care to look.”
He cracked one eye open and stared straight at me. The heat of his gaze hotter than any Hellflame.
“I found beauty in you. A rarity in this place or Heaven.”
“Careful or some might say you blaspheme.” But inside, my heart leaped with joy that he was falling for me as surely as I was for him. Now if only I could get him not to assassinate my brother and convince him that I wasn’t the only good thing about Hell.
Chapter 16
“There is more beauty in Hell than just Lucifer’s garden.” I set the empty bowl of herbs aside. My gut unclenching that Elion’s color was returning and the demon mark fading.
He scoffed. “This is the place where the damned go—not Paradise.”
“No,” I rolled my shoulders back. “But there are spots here and there that bring me peace and joy whenever I visit them. Let me show you what you don’t know about this realm, then you can judge for yourself and not hearsay.”
I held my breath, waiting for his answer. If I couldn’t change his mind then I was doomed to spend eternity in Heaven and Elion would try and assassinate my brother. Only one would come out alive. Either way, I’d lose if I couldn’t change his course.
“All right. You may show me Hell that I am unaware of and I will see for myself.”
My smile widened, pulling my cheeks tight. “Great. Let’s go to the waterfall first.”
“Of lava?” He quirked an eyebrow at me.
I laughed. “No, water. We have to drink more than just alcohol too like other creatures. Despite the rumors you’ve must have heard, our blood isn’t acid. Well, except the demon-guard maybe.”
At his sideways smile, my heart fluttered. I was falling for this angel faster than I tumbled from Heaven. And if I wasn’t careful, I’d end up more damaged from this fall than anything I had experienced before.
“Follow me,” I said, leading him down the garden path.
We walked about a mile until the sloping hills turned into mountains. The wind brought the fresh spring scent of the waterfall and wildflowers. Another half mile of hiking and we stood before the cascading waters. Droplets splashed on the colorful rocks, making a rainbow effect.
“It’s beautiful.” Elion stepped forward with his mouth agape.
“Bigger than the Crystal Falls in Heaven, wouldn’t you say?” I kicked aside a pebble, enjoying the look of wonder on Elion’s face.
He glanced over his shoulder at me. “Looks to be.”
“And there’s another surprise.” I held out my hand and he took it. His palm was warm in mine and sent a tingle spreading up my arm.
We dashed through the waterfall to the secret space behind the water. Both of us drenched and he hauled me around in a circle.
“This place is magical.”
“And the demon-guard won’t find us here.” I smiled as he set me back on my feet. “This was one of the many secret places Lucifer and I created. Though I added this one in several decades after we finished the waterfall—so you and I are the only ones who know of this place now.”
“Thank you for sharing with me.” He kept his hand in mine. “And perhaps you are correct. I shouldn’t judge a place without seeing for myself.”
His sapphi
re gaze was so intense that I took a step forward. My heart pounded in my chest that I was certain he heard it. I reached up and grabbed his head, pulling him down. My lips brushing against his.
Did he want this? Did he desire me like I was the more time I spent with him?
He let out a sigh and I moved away, but he grasped me around the waist and hauled me tighter to him. His kiss was soft at first, exploring. He tasted like warm, honey.
His tongue slid along mine as we deepened the kiss. I clung to his shoulders feeling like the ground was dropping beneath my feet.
When we parted, panting and still hungry for each other, I cleared my throat. “See we’re not all bad down here.”
“I never said you were,” Elion said. “But your brother is another matter.”
“What is it exactly that you think he’s done?”
Elion sat down in the small cave, the waterfall cascading at the entrance. His face isn’t as pale as it was but he’s still recovering from the demon venom. “Your brother is stealing righteous souls when they die and bringing them to Hell.”
“That’s not true.” It couldn’t be. Only those souls who were corrupt and needed punishing came here. “I’ve seen no evidence of what you speak. Who said that Lucifer was stealing souls?”
“The Almighty didn’t gift me with that knowledge—only that Lucifer is guilty and I must end him.”
“Enough with the assassination talk about my brother. Don’t make me chose between you.” I sat beside him. “My brother is guilty of a lot of things but I just don’t see him doing what you say.”
“Some human souls have been able to resist him. Apparently, they’ve told God about what was going on.”
I bit my lip. Something was off but I couldn’t explain how I knew that. Lucifer wouldn’t go after innocent souls. To what purpose? We were already bursting at the seams with the guilty ones.
Chapter 17
“So,” Elion glanced around the cave, “Do you have a place here in Hell? Somewhere I can recover from the demon-guard’s poison more fully?”
He was right. We needed a place to hide out until he had recovered enough for us to get him safely back to Heaven. A pang of never seeing him again made my chest hurt.
"I have a little cabin back in the woods." I hiked down the path with Elion beside me. Every once in a while, I glanced over at him. His breathing was more labored than I would've liked but the grayness of his skin had lessened. After a night of rest and food, he should be well enough. But then what? If he didn't kill Lucifer, then he couldn't return to Heaven. No way could I let him harm my brother.
There had to be a mistake about Lucifer stealing righteous souls. My brother wouldn't do that. He loved it when the humans had morals and the innocent.
The more I thought about Elion's mission, the more it didn't make sense. We entered the clearing and I punched in my passcode to my cabin. It looked like a small cottage on the outside, but inside it was homey with human knickknacks I'd collected over the years.
Elion let out a whistle when he entered. "Nice place."
"You like it?" Only Lucifer had complimented me on my cabin. The few other fallen angels or demons that had glimpsed it had laughed at my nostalgia. So what if I liked human things?
Elion fingered a crystal wind chime hanging from the ceiling. Then his attention shifted to one of the ancient swords hanging on the wall. "That's not a Honjō Masamune, is it?"
Pride rushed through me that he recognized it. "Yes. The only one made during Kamakura-period by Masamune--the most celebrated Japanese sword maker ever." His skills on the sword were legendary in both artistry and strength.
"And these?" He moved past the sword and a few weapons to the papyrus sealed poems I'd collected, and said one of the lines of the poem, "I desire and I crave--"
"Sappho's poetry." Heat filled my face. "She wrote at least nine volumes but I've only managed to salvage half of them."
"A warrior with a heart." He smiled.
I cleared my throat. "Are you hungry? I make some wicked spaghetti and meatballs."
"Spicy sauce?" He grinned at me and my heart skipped a beat.
"No, just plain. But I've got every spice known to man or angel just have never had the time to experiment."
"Do you mind if I do the sauce?"
"Sure. I love spicy food. I'm always asking for more wasabi whenever I'm earthside and having sushi."
"I love sushi." He followed me out of the living room.
Always loved my spacious kitchen with its double range and stainless-steel appliances. But with Elion sorting through my spice rack and pulling out various bottles, it felt confined, tiny even.
While Elion made the sauce, sprucing it up with devil knows what, I took out the meat from the fridge for the meatballs.
"Where did you learn to cook?" I asked. Heaven had food that appeared whenever someone asked, not that souls ate out of necessity, some did so for the enjoyment. But here in Hell, we had to make our own. Food helped us recover faster from injuries and rebuild our strength. Otherwise, we did require any substance.
"Studied on earth for a few decades here and there. I spent all vacation time in cooking classes."
I giggled. "Really? So you're an angel with a hidden chef inside."
"Guess so." He winked and poured my spaghetti sauce into a pan and started cutting up onions and garlic.
I tried not to ogle his fine ass while I shaped the meatballs. My mind traveling to his muscled arms and how good I felt pressed up against him. How great a kisser he was. But that was only as a cover when the demons had gone by. It didn't mean anything or he'd have tried to kiss me again, right?
I pushed aside the thought. Why did I even care as much as I did? Wasn't like Elion and I could date, we were part of two separate worlds.
My eyes teared up.
"You okay?" Elion asked as he tossed the chop onions and garlic in a pan with butter.
"Yeah, it's just the onions," I explained and scrubbed my eyes with my forearm and finished shaping the meatballs, then tossed them in a frying pan. I washed my hands, forcing myself to get a grip. Elion was only here until he fully recovered. He'd have to return to Heaven without completing his mission of assassinating my brother. If he returned to Father empty handed, I shuddered to think what the punishment would be. Then again, I'd have to go back with him if I couldn't convince him that Hell had beauty in it too.
We finished the spaghetti and my mouth watered from the spicy, tomato smell alone.
"I'm suddenly famished," I said, smiling as I sat down at my small, round table across from him.
"Let me know if the spice is too much for you or not." He nodded, breaking apart one of the meatballs with his fork. "I can always kick it up a notch for you."
I took a bite of noodles and closed my eyes like a sweet, but tangy sauce hit my tongue.
"Good?" he asked.
"Hell yes." I snapped my eyes open and dug in. "But I won't mind it spicier."
"Next time." He twirled the noodles on his fork. "I didn't want to make it too hot for you until I knew how much you could handle. Should've known you'd be fine with more."
Something in his tone hinted at something more than just food and my face heated. “I can take a lot more than you think.”
He inclined his head in a short bow.
As we ate, Elion’s reason for being in Hell and my brother came to my mind. “You know you’re wrong about Lucifer.”
A guarded expression crossed Elion’s face, but I kept going.
“He would never do what you’re saying. His whole life purpose is to punish the guilty.”
“And overthrow the sovereign ruler of Heaven.” Elion wiped his mouth with a napkin.
“All rulers step aside or die, allowing the next chosen or designated leader to reign.” I leaned back in my chair. “Besides, Lucifer wants to give all angels and demons peace and free-will. Why should father’s precious mortals have all the freedom?”
Elion glanced down at
his plate. My words were affecting him. Maybe I had a chance to sway him to accept Hell and win my mother’s bet. Except, I didn’t see him wanting to live here. How would I go back to my normal life without him? I’d only known him a short time and he’d already had filled a void in me that I didn’t know was there.
We finished our food then put away the leftovers in the fridge. In the kitchen, we cleaned the kitchen and I caught Elion giving me sideways looks that made my heart beat faster.
When I leaned across the island stove to wipe up some spilled spaghetti sauce, I glanced over my shoulder at him gawking at my ass. “Like what you see?”
He closed the distance between us and my breath hitched in my throat. With a nod, he skimmed his fingers up my sides. His mouth lowered to mine and I melted against him. A ravenous heat streaked from where he grasped my hips, drawing me closer, and pooled deep in my center. I clung to his shoulders as our kiss deepened. His tongue stroked mine as hunger blazed through my body.
His hands hauled me up, sitting my ass on the edge of the counter, never breaking our kiss. He wedged his body between my thighs and my doubts about him going after Lucifer were pushed to the back of my mind. I wiggled closer to him, wrapping my legs around his hips. His fingers snaked under my sweater and I moaned against his mouth.
Slowly, seductively, his fingertips traced the curve under my breast. His erection pressing against my sex and I rubbed back and forth to ease the yearning making me throb. He dragged his thumb across my nipple, I gasped arching my back. His growl of satisfaction made my own excitement double.
“I thought you could take the heat?” He arched an eyebrow.
“Watch me.” I tore off my shirt and satisfaction thrummed through me at seeing his eyes burn brighter with lust. In one snap, I had my bra off then yanked up his shirt.
“Fuck!” He cupped my breast like they were two precious orbs.
My libido flared to life. I wanted this angel more than anything I had ever wanted in my life. Even if tomorrow he left for Heaven and never returned. At least I would have this memory of him and I together.